The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-03
WORK FOR THE COMMISSION.
An Atlanta Committee Asks q Favorable
Interpretation of the Law,
with Ruinous Advance in Rates-Sale
of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois.


merce Commission began active work at IL
o'clock this morning At that time exGov. Ru-
fus B. Bullock DR.. R. d. Spaulding and Mr.. S.
F. Woodson, a committee appointed by the At
lanta Chamber of Commerce to cooperate with
the Southern Railway and Steamship Association
in seeking such liberal Interpretation or modlfi-
cation of the operation of the nterstate-com-
merce act as may be deemed necessary for the
protection of the manufacturing and CONNER
cial interests of this and other Southern sec
TONS were granted hearing. Governor Bull
lock, speaking for his associates and himself.
thanked the commission for the opportunity af-
forded, and read the following paper:
ITO the Honorable. the Interstate commerce Com
mission:
'.Gentlemen-We, the undersigned. commit
tee appointed by the Atlanta Chamber of Com
merce for that purpose. respectfully represent to
your honorable body that the territory covered
by the Southern Railway and Steamship Asso
citation Is comparatively sparsely populated, and
that the trade centers or distributve cities with
in that territory are widely separated, and
therefore that rule which would apply to lines
in more populous sections of the country would
be disastrous to US. The rates of freight now in
force by said association, which covers the ter
ritory south of the Potomac and Ohio and east
of the Mississippi rivers, the result
of ten years of experiment modified
by the orders Of railroad commissions
in the several States, and by appeals from COM
mercial bodies like our own, representing the in
terests of shippers Your petitioners further
represent that the rates now of force. embodied
in the tariff of the Southern Railway and Steam
ship Association, are acceptable to our shippers
generally and under them trade has been estab
lished, contracts for purchase and sale of com
modties have been entered into, and sudden
change would prove seriously hurtful to parties
in interest. We are informed by the railway
management that under tho fear of penalties
provided by the interstate-commerce law their
roads will be compelled to largely increase their
rates on the 9Th inst This will destroy the whole
system OF rates upon which our Southern manu-
featuring industries have been founded, and dis
organize and paralyZe the trade centres upon
and through which Wholesale dealers have estab-
lished their extended business. We therefore
respectfully petition your honorable body to pass
an order, on or before the 5tn day of April in
stant to the effect that the schedule of rates in
the territory south of the Potomac and Ohio and
east Of the Mississippi rivers so far as these
rates relate to interstate commerce. be declared
of force until the further order of your honora-
bic commission. and that reasonable time be
given for a further hearing and revision before
any changes are put in force.
1--WE submit herewith schedule of rates OF
the Southern Railway and Steamship Associa-
ton. to which we have referred. We also invite
your attention to the accompanying comparative
statement which we have prepared of the pres
ent rates. by which is shown the great increase
which will occur in rates to the principal points
If the railways put in force the rates they now
understand the new law will require"
The showing made by the comparative state
ment submitted may be judged by the fact tina.
the rates from New York to Atlanta. Montgom
cry, Selma Rome. Dalton and Chattanooga will
be increased from 81. IA to ST. Al. to Macon from
ST. 90 to 81. 35, Augusta from 90 cents to $1.2l
from Cincinnati to Atlanta from 81. OF to 90,
to Macon and Augusta from l.07 to 81. 46.
The chairman of the commission Judge
Cooley remarked interrogativey that he under
stood the application to be part. at least, in sup
port of the application which had been made by
the railroad companies for permission to charge
less for long than for short hauls.
Governor Bullock responded affirmatively
At present, queried the chairman, the rail-
roads are charging less for longer than for a
shorter distance.
Governor Bullock said this was the case where
il was necessary to meet the circumstances of
water transportation
The chairman asked the opinion of the COM
mittee with respect to the authority of the com
mission 60 make the order asked of :hem.
Governor Bullock replied that as they read the
provisions of the fourth section they understood
the commission had the authority. The rail-
roads. he added, had informed them that unless
they made their rates at once they would be
liable to penalties under the law. Contracts had
months hence, based upon the rates which pre-
vailed at the time. Now, TO suddenly raise these
rates would prove disastrous
"A brief colloquy. during which, in reply to
queries by Colonel Walker and Mr.. Morrison,
the position of the committee in respect to some
details was elaborated, ended the hearing The
whole proceeding was an informality, the hear
ing being granted at this time as favor to gen
tlemen who had come from a distance to present
their No formal consideration of this cues
ton or any other will be undertaken before the
9th inst, on which date the law goes into effect.
Sale of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois.
| NEW YORK. April 2-The negotiations which
begun about week ago between Fl. H. Porter
and President Stevens, of the Chicago & East
ern Illinois road, were contaminated to-day by
| the sale of all of the stock of the company ex-
cept four thousand shares, at $1l0. The pur
chase was made by r. P. Flower g. Co., who
| acted for H. H. Porter and his associates and
the stock was transferred Immediately after the
| agreement was signed. AS soon as the transfer
was effected majority of the old board of
directors. viz. J. c. Knapp, of New York; c. T.
Baker. of Boston; c. F. Leonard, of Springfield
ILL.,; F. A. Peters. of Boston; s. NJ Crosby, OF
Brooklyn, VT, and P. II. Clement, of Bost on
resigned, and Richard NJ Hoe Ogden Mills
David Bows, jr. A r. Flower, III. H. Holster
OF Boston, ana Lewis Lyford, the general man
ager Of the road were elected in their places
| The new board organized Immediately by the
election of Richard NJ Hoe, president in place
! of Ii. H. Stevens, and Fl. Fl. Stevens, vice presi
dent, in place of Geo. III. Ball. The syndieat,
is composed of parties identified with the chi
| cago and Indiana Coal company but no con
| solidaton of the two interests is intended, Tn,
| Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe is not represented
in the syndicate, but as the Atchson made
traffic contract with the Chicago 6 Eastern Hi
| ia
the relations of the two companies already
established President Porter, of the Chicago
and Indiana Coal company, who heads tn
syndicate. says that the purchase of the prop
erty is simple business matter. He looks upol
it as good thing for both the Eastern Illinoi
and the Indiana Coal company. 1t brings then
into harmony and gives both the facilities to d.
business at low rates and in a most economical
way and ia not antagonlstic to any other rail
road in the West
Don't Want Through Business.
PEORIA, ILL.,. April 2-The Peoria, Decatur 4
Evansville Railway Company will give up all @
its through east-bound business, on account @
the provisions Of the interstate-commerce bill
They will ask for preferential local rates j
consequence. About 80 per cent of their bus
ness is local.